Greene County Head Cross-Country Coach Jeff Lamoureux told Raccoon Valley Radio he thoroughly enjoyed his first experience as a cross-country coach, and he’s already looking forward to 2018. Haley Hall completed the Rams’ season by finishing 78th among 136 runners in the girls’ Class 2A State Meet on Oct. 28 north of Ft. Dodge at Kennedy Park and Lakeside Golf Course. She was the school’s first X-C State qualifier since 2013.

About the 2017 season, Lamoureux said, “It was a great season! The kids were great and we had a little bit of success. I accepted the position a week before practice started, so there wasn’t much time to prepare. I’ve done a little bit of running as an adult, but never actually took part in cross-country while in high school, so I had a lot to learn this season, and it was a learning experience. I was fortunate enough to have an assistant coach in Pat Gearhart who did run cross-country and is very familiar with the sport, and with me being a first year coach he helped me a great deal. Our kids had great attitudes, worked real hard, and really put in a great effort, and I think the results were pretty good.”

The girls were sixth in the 2A State qualifying meet in Lake City, and only eight points away from third place and State Meet qualification. Hall is a senior, but the majority of the point scorers are freshmen and sophomores. The boys had barely enough runners to field a team, but they showed improvement throughout, finishing ahead of three teams at State Qualifying, and were led by a freshman and sophomore at season’s end.